KNIGHTS HILL ASSOCIATION, Inc.
Bridgton ME 04009
Board of Governors
Meeting
February 3, 2007
Final
Tom Kearns, Vice-president
Jeff Witherell, Treasurer
Phyllis Ginzler, Clerk
Marilyn Salerno
Peter Silva
Tom Tanner
Also in attendance were 27 KHA members. (Sign-in sheet attached.)
Good morning. Thank you
for coming. A lot has happened since
our last meeting and your board has been very busy during this trying
time.
First of all, thanks for conserving water. It has worked
and helped. A report of the current
well situation will be later in the meeting.
The following plans are being put in place for future
communication during any emergencies at KHA:
1.
An emergency contingency plan will be instituted.
2.
Standard operating procedures will be posted in the
pump house as well as in the office.
3.
Signs and letters will be posted sooner.
4.
Tom Tanner is going to try to put together a telephone
“chain” operation, where the board can contact quadrant leaders and they will
in turn make phone calls to their people.
5.
Starting in the next few days, our new manager will use
the cell phone that was formerly the emergency water line, for non- water
emergency use. When you call the office
phone number, you can still leave a message. If you need to speak with the
manager immediately, call the cell phone number. A beeper will be used for the emergency water number. You will enter your phone number and then
the on- call person will call back.
Please respect this beeper as water emergencies only. This information will be on the answering
machine at the office, posted on the web and noted in the next newsletter.
Bill resigned on Jan.13 effective Jan.28. He was a great asset to KHA and its
development. The board expressed their
desire for his success and happiness in his future endeavors. We thanked him for his years of
service.
Before Bill’s resignation the board was in the process of
hiring a permanent part-time employee to afford Bill the ability to take his
vacations and the occasional weekend off.
I asked Phyllis to chair this hiring process. With Bill’s
resignation, it became a committee to find a new manager. Phyllis will give you her report on that
process. Our new manager, Fred Fortier was
hired and started on January 29th.
This board has been of the same mind and has worked as a
team, never more so than these past few weeks.
You can contact us at any time.
In conclusion, we ALL have one thing in common … we are
neighbors. Let us learn from our
experiences and go forward in friendship towards our future here at Knights
Hill Association, our wonderful community.
Thank you.
Phyllis Ginzler reported on the process for selecting a new KHA general manager. At the request of Pam Ambrose, Phyllis assembled a search committee and chaired the search process. The committee consisted of 3 past presidents: David Ginzler, Brian Douglass and John Orr and 3 current board members: Pam Ambrose, Tom Tanner and Phyllis as chair. The committee met on Jan. 18 to define the process, confirm the job description and to agree on consistent interview criteria. An ad was placed in the Bridgton news, and appeared on Jan. 25. In order to jump-start the search, the committee also used a list of applicants, provided by Bill Hancock, who had expressed an interest in the part-time opening. These individuals were contacted to see if they were interested in the full-time position. In total, the committee received 21 inquiries, and 10 completed applications. Of these, the committee screened 7 applications and 3 applicants were asked to meet for an in-depth interview. The committee recommended one applicant to the Board for their evaluation. The Board then interviewed Fred Fortier and he was subsequently hired.
To a question about insurance coverage for our manager, Pam Ambrose said that she planned to speak with Chalmers Insurance on Monday to review all insurance issues.
Jeff Witherell reported that KHA accounts were accurate and up to date. He reported that an annual KHA audit would be performed soon. To questions from the floor regarding the costs incurred by the recent well situation, Jeff reported that those costs have not been totally calculated as of yet.
Tom Kearns made the motion to accept the Treasurer’s report. It was seconded and the motion passed.
Committee Reports
Building. Dan
Weygandt reported one application for remodeling on Hawk Road.
Old Business
1. Snake Issue. The board has received a letter from the owner
of pet snakes informing the board that she has removed the snakes from the
premises.
2. Renewal of Covenants. Pam Ambrose
will contact the KHA attorney regarding KHA covenants that must be renewed by
January 2009. Norma Gelles suggested that the association try to complete this
in 2007, if possible. She offered to provide to the board prior correspondence
with our KHA attorney that she had saved.
New Business
1. Dave McFarland.
Pam Ambrose reported that Dave
is up and about and is doing well after surgery. Tom Tanner asked if the
Association used a standard greeting card for illness, etc. Pam said that we sent Dave a get-well
card and flowers, but we do not have a standard greeting. Tom offered to look into this.
2. Telephone Chain for Emergencies. Tom
Tanner suggested that the Association adopt a structured telephone chain to
speed communication to homeowners in times of emergency. He described a method whereby the members
would be sub-divided into quadrants and sub-quadrants depending on their KHA
home location. Each section would have
a “captain” to start the chain once notified by our manager or by a board
member. Dick Minogue suggested an
e-mail list and offered to create one for distributing KHA information to
members. Discussion ensued on the best
and varied ways to communicate. Phyllis
Ginzler asked members to send her an e-mail requesting that their name be added
to a KHA e-mail distribution list.
3. Social Committee.
Marilyn Salerno will head up a
Social Committee for Knights Hill and sought input from the members on
activities. Her e-mail address is marisal@verizon.net. She is looking to alternatives to the annual lobster
bake among other social activities.
Joie Tanner suggested an auction or yard sale. Pam asked Joie to develop a proposal and bring it to the
board. To a question regarding
children’s recreational activities during the summer, Pam reminded members
that, in the past, volunteer parents organized children’s activities, with KHA
providing funding for any materials.
Manager’s Report
New KHA General
Manager, Fred Fortier, spoke to the members. Fred thanked the Board for this
opportunity and commented on the intense interview process before his being
hired. He stressed that his primary
focus in the near term is the KHA water/well system. He reported that the water
situation at this time was good; water usage is down and decreasing. He thanked the members for their
conservation efforts. He also reported
that Goodwin well, after several diagnostic evaluations, recommended a new,
third well be drilled. He said that,
weather permitting, a new well should be hooked up by midweek. This well is better than the old well with a
larger flow capacity. Once quality
tests are completed, the new well could be operational by next weekend. He then proposed developing a new 5-year
water system plan to incorporate his ideas for improvement such as a loop back
system in the place of “bleeders” and the drilling of one more back up well. He
assured the members that he is aware of the needs of Knights Hill and that he
intends to work with Jack Kostka on providing 24/7coverage for our water
system. He further stated that his goals are to improve communications with the
members, and to help bring the community together.
Fred took questions from
the floor on the status of the water system and the drilling of the third
well. In answer to questions, he
explained that the quality of the KHA water supply has been continuously tested
with good results. He said that the
water supply is keeping up with demand.
Fred deferred all questions concerning costs to the board. Jeff Witherell said we should have a better
grasp of costs by midweek. Pam Ambrose
estimated that the well could cost in the neighborhood of $50K to $75K. There was some discussion about assessments
and it was agreed to defer an answer until all the bills were received. To a question about the need for a special
meeting for an assessment, Pam answered no, that we do not need to call a
special meeting because the expense is part of the existing water system that
we all must pay for, and also, because it is an emergency situation. To a question on guarantees from the well
company, Pam said that she would look into it.
She stated that Bill Hancock had coordinated the hiring of the well
company and had negotiated the contract.
Secretary’s Report
Tom Kearns made a motion to
accept the Secretary’s report. During discussion, members suggested edits to
improve the accuracy of the minutes. In
particular, Norma Gelles pointed out that the word “adjourn” be changed to
“move to” when recording the action of the board “to move to executive
session”. There was some discussion of the accepted protocols of recording
minutes. Tom withdrew the motion. He
then made a motion to take up the approval of the January minutes at the next
board meeting in March. It was seconded
and the motion passed.
Read into the February
minutes: There was a unanimous decision
to proceed with the drilling of the new well.
Member Requests or
Comments
1. Price Hutchins asked about the 10-year water
plan. Peter Silva said that he has kept
all documents related to the plan and he will prepare a packet for the board.
2. A question arose as to the efforts to retain Bill
Hancock as manager or consultant. Tom
Kearns explained that there were many such attempts. Bill placed conditions on his staying, some of which the board
agreed to, and some of which were untenable.
3. A question arose as to whose responsibility it was to
communicate a situation such as the water emergency. Discussion ensued on communication as it related to the events of
the last few weeks and improvements to communication in the future.
4. Charlie Loverin read a statement asking for improved
communications and expressing the hope that the membership can move ahead in
friendship.
5. To questions concerning Fred Fortier’s employment
status, Pam Ambrose explained that Fred is a full time general manager on the
KHA payroll with limited duties until April 30, 2007. Until he assumes full responsibility for KHA operations, he is
receiving half pay. During his
transition, Pam Ambrose and Phyllis Ginzler are covering office duties. Pam is handling all office functions while
Phyllis is monitoring the voice mail and e-mail systems. To a question about
workers’ comp, Jack Kostka explained that it is based on payroll.
6. To a question about boat slips and notification, Pam
said that she would coordinate with Ron Kostka (dock master) sending out the
notices on boat slips. Jeff Witherell
said that the board had specifically requested that a notice be placed on the
letter for dues but that it was not done.
Pam said that she has a folder to keep track of the boat slips/dues
paid.
7. A question arose about the manager’s job
description. Pam Ambrose explained that
the new manager is working to the duties and responsibilities of the job
description voted on in May of 2006.
8. To a question regarding the details of Fred Fortier’s
employment status, Pam reported the details of the multi-year contract signed
by Fred and each of the board members.
9. To a question regarding the part-time position, Pam
said that we are still assessing that need.
10. Steve Fisher thanked the board for finding the right
person for the manager’s job.
11. Charlie Loverin reported on the new draft law,
“Disorderly House Town Ordinance” whereby the town is seeking to protect the
safety and welfare of the residents of Bridgton who are adversely affected by
unlawful and nuisance activities on or near their properties. It calls for a
fine to the homeowner at the 3rd offense in a 30- day period. Charlie submitted a memorandum from the
Bridgton Police Department (attached).
12. Price Hutchins reported that the Knights Hill
residents had donated $1500 to the Kevin Tarr fund.
Phyllis Ginzler made the
motion to adjourn. The motion was
seconded and passed.
Meeting adjourned at 10:30
A.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Phyllis Ginzler
Recording Clerk
Board of Governors
Knights Hill Association,
Inc.
February 8, 2007